When he gets a robocall, Robert B Eckhardt doesn’t necessarily hang up. If he isn’t too busy, Eckhardt, a professor of developmental genetics at Pennsylvania State University, stays on the line and asks random questions, such as, “Do your parents know what you’re doing?” If he can string the caller along for 10 minutes, Eckhardt considers it a minor victory in the war against telephone spam. Most people get annoyed by calls from telemarketers or scam artists. Some try to get even.

Scientists have discovered a way to accurately predict whether a child has autism spectrum disorder by analysing a blood sample, an advance that opens the door to earlier diagnosis and potential future development of therapeutics.

The test is the first physiological test for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), researchers said.

Xerox India Ltd is focussing on managed print services option for corporates as well as the smaller Indian towns for its digital printing products, said a senior official on Monday. He also said digital storage of data has not affected the printing business and has brought in efficiency and reduced costs. "We are looking at managed print services option for the corporate with a comprehensive solution that would bring down their printing costs.